Jon Sumrall isn’t wasting time. The Florida head coach is making it clear: Jaden Upshaw is a priority.
Just two weeks ago, the four-star wide receiver out of Lee County High School in Leesburg, Georgia, didn’t even have Florida in his top six. His list-Texas A&M, USC, Miami, Auburn, Tennessee, and Alabama-read like a who’s who of powerhouse programs.
The Gators? Nowhere in sight.
But that changed fast.
Less than 24 hours after Upshaw dropped his “Final Six,” he was in Gainesville for Florida’s Junior Day. That’s not a coincidence.
That’s a phone call from Sumrall that clearly hit the right notes. When a top-100 recruit makes an unplanned visit that quickly, it’s not just curiosity-it’s interest sparked by real momentum.
And Sumrall didn’t stop there.
Four days later, he and outside wide receivers coach Marcus Davis made the trip to Leesburg to visit Upshaw in person. That kind of in-home attention speaks volumes.
It’s not just about showing face-it’s about showing commitment. Florida's staff is making sure Upshaw knows he’s not just another name on their board.
He’s a guy they want in orange and blue.
Then came the next big step: Upshaw locked in his official visit to Gainesville. That’s the kind of development that turns heads, especially when you consider where things stood just a week or two ago. Florida went from off the radar to firmly in the mix-and maybe even leading the pack.
And it’s easy to see why they’re pushing hard.
Upshaw is a 6-foot-2, 202-pound wideout with the kind of size, speed, and production that translates. He’s currently ranked as a four-star by both Rivals and 247Sports, and sits at No. 79 nationally according to the 247 Composite.
He’s the No. 15 wide receiver in the country and the No. 10 overall player in Georgia-a state that produces elite talent year in and year out. ESPN also has him in their Jr300, checking in at No. 138 with a solid four-star grade of 81.
The numbers back up the hype. In 2025, Upshaw hauled in 47 catches for 902 yards and eight touchdowns across 10 games.
That’s a 19.2-yard average per reception and over 90 yards per game-big-play production that makes defensive coordinators sweat. His longest catch of the season?
A 37-yarder, showing he can stretch the field when needed.
Zooming out to his full high school career so far, Upshaw has played in 32 varsity games, racking up 125 receptions for 1,964 yards and 22 touchdowns. That’s consistency over time-an average of nearly 62 yards per game and 15.7 yards per catch. He’s not just a flash-in-the-pan prospect; he’s been producing since day one.
Recruiting-wise, his offer list reads like a national roll call: Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, and Alabama, just to name a few. That’s 20-plus schools, including blue bloods and rising programs alike, all vying for his signature.
But right now, it’s Florida making the loudest noise.
Sumrall and his staff have flipped the script in just a matter of days. They’ve gone from being on the outside looking in to being a real contender for one of the top receivers in the 2027 class. The next few weeks will be telling, especially as Upshaw’s official visit gets closer and other programs try to reassert their position.
Make no mistake-this recruitment is heating up. And if Florida can keep this momentum rolling, they just might pull off one of the more impressive recruiting flips of the cycle.